Ailing Anguish and Welcoming Darkness
by aishathrayariyaz
Summary: 246 words


Frodo awoke, gasping and shaking. He proceeded to put his arms around his knees and try and compose himself as he looked around for any unnatural signs. These nightmares had been making their appearance since he had got Bag End back. They weren't just nightmares, however. To Frodo's mind, they were flashbacks and past visions of his time on the Quest to Mount Doom, which had been a year ago exactly. Everyone was beginning to worry, even Pippin. Frodo had been hiding them so well. Now...he curled into himself and gave a sob.

Next morning, he met up with Sam, Merry and Pippin in the Green Dragon. Merry and Pippin were teasing Sam about his crush, Rosie Cotton, something they had been accustomed to doing since the four had returned. Frodo barely noticed. While Pippin's mug was almost empty, his was hardly touched. The scent was making him so nauseous he excused himself to the privy. When he returned, he was feeling worse.

"Are they getting worse?" said Sam, pulling him to once side. Frodo only nodded weakly in response and leaned against into the gardener's broad shoulder, watching Merry and Pippin dance drunkenly on of the large tables. Most of the words were made-up ones, the others didn't make much sense and the rest were just a bundle of slurred words. Everyone laughed and cheered.

"Let's get out of here," Sam said, looking disgusted. Frodo made to stand up, but his legs were shaky and his head was pounding. He looked up at Sam, slightly frightened. Sam smiled vaguely and held out his hand. Frodo swayed and grasped it desperately and they left. When they re-entered Bag End, Frodo was half-blind and at some point Sam found himself holding his master against his hip, like a lass. This action caused Frodo to start blushing not unlike school-lasses. "Put me down," he demanded. Sam immediately released him with a smirk. Frodo hit the floor with a yelp and looked up and saw Sam leaning against the doorframe casually and silently shaking with laughter.

"I told you to 'put me down'," he said with a very pronounced scowl. "not 'throw me down'," Unfortunately, Sam had lost his grip on his restraints and was now howling with laughter. Frodo steadied himself against the bedpost and then, seizing _Emotional Intelligence_ , he aimed it at Sam. "Ouch!" he said, rubbing an invisible bump on his head and glaring back at Frodo, who smiled, satisfied and limped onto the bed. He sighed. Revenge was sweet. He hadn't had this much fun in years. He coughed suddenly, drawing a worried Sam to his side. "I'm fine," he said irritably and pulled the covers over his head. Sam tugged them back down with a frown and lifted his hand to feel Frodo's head. As soon as it made contact, he withdrew hastily. It was sweltering. Frodo shuddered then and rolled over. Sam eyed him for a moment in silence and went to the kitchen to collect a compress.

"Sam," whined Frodo. "that's _cold_ ," Sam fumbled for a chair and opened the book he had been hit with earlier and began to read. "I know, just get some sleep," Frodo drifted off in a fevered sleep, muttering incohorent words. Sam looked up from his book every once in a while, but Frodo did not awake.

"Sam..." mumbled Frodo, a few hours later. Sam paused and grabbed the smaller hand. It was cold as ice. "Frodo..." he said, feeling his cheek. It was boiling. Sam frowned, for that was very odd. "Sam..." Frodo whimpered again. He opened his eyes, which were bright with fever. "Smeagol...stop him..he'll get ill...look, Sam!" he cried, tugging at his sleeve frantically and pointing at something invisible.

"Hush," murmured Sam, pulling Frodo into his arms. "Gollum's not here, we've finished the quest, remember, Mr Frodo?" Frodo shivered. "It's cold, Sam.." Sam did not bother to reply and continued stroking Frodo's dark brown curls. Within minutes, he was asleep, still in fever-induced delirium.

When Frodo awoke next morning, he was feeling much better. Still dizzy and pain all over, but not very queasy anymore. "Where's Merry and Pippin?" he asked, when Sam came in through a guest room, who shrugged. "They left early. Said something about new summer plans," Frodo raised his eyebrows but did not say anything else. Suddenly, he gasped and gripped his shoulder hard. The mug of hot chocolate in his hand clattered to the floor. "Mr Frodo? What's the matter?" Frodo made a noise that caused the blood in Sam's veins to freeze. "Frodo?"

"I-I..can feel its blade," he choked, and fell to his knees. Sam's confused stutter was interrupted by a loud, wailing screech and frantic voices from outside the hole. Frodo's eyes widened and he gave a pained scream. Sam dashed to the window and almost fainted in fear mingled with shock.


End file.
